EUVC

Philipp von dem Knesebeck, Co-Founder of Blue Future Partners, discusses creating a fund of funds for portfolio diversification. They reflect on the financial crisis and the importance of liquidity. They also explore the potential of European venture and strategies and challenges in venture capital portfolio construction.

Today we have Sam Endacott with us. Sam is a Partner at firstminute, a $400m seed-stage venture fund based in London & Berlin to back founders across Europe (and opportunistically in the US and Rest of World). The fund has invested across all sectors and is a generalist VC but has typically focused on SaaS, DeepTech, Developer Tools and FinTech. firstminute is backed by over 130 unicorn founders in addition to current and former CEOs of Global Corporates.firstminute are investing out of Fund III with a total $100m AUM and an established portfolio of over 130 companies. Notable investments include A.Team, Storyblok, Robocorp, Engflow, Wayve, Klang, Clockwork Labs, Ramp, Element and Generation Home. The portfolio has raised follow-on financing rounds from Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Atomico, Index, Benchmark, Coatue, Softbank, Tiger, General Catalyst, Northzone, Mubadala Capital, NFX, Balderton, D1, Felicis, Bain Capital and Tencent. At firstminute, Sam focuses on SaaS, Developer Tools, AI / ML and FinTech and has led investments into a number of the fund’s high performing companies such as Storyblok (raised $58m) and a number of recent deals in the AI / ML space which are not yet announced!

Today, we're happy to feature Francesco Simoneschi, Co-Founder and CEO at TrueLayer and angel with 60+ investments.In this episode, Francesco dives deep into his experience going from VC to angel investing, the nuances of angel investing, shedding light on some counterintuitive lessons he's learned along the way. He delves into the importance of trusting your instincts when assessing early-stage startups and why sometimes, early traction can be a red flag.Francesco also shares his strategies for making international investments and the value of building a network of trusted insiders in unfamiliar territories. Plus, he reflects on the soft skills and leadership qualities that he wishes he had focused on earlier in his career.Jump to the parts that matter most to you and watch our core highlights below 👀00:02:52 - On Starting TrueLayer in Italy 00:05:54 - Francesco’s 60+ angel portfolio & striking a balance as an operator00:07:30 - The complementarity of angel investing and being an operator00:08:44 - Angel Investing in the FinTech Ecosystem00:09:12 - Balancing Excitement and Discipline in Investing00:11:00 - Reflections on Investing in a Marihuana delivery startup00:14:16 - Investing in The Development of Wetware Computers00:15:45 - On The Drive of Entrepreneurs00:17:12 - Accessing European Capital for Early Stage Opportunities00:18:34 - Investing in Various Industries00:20:01 - Diversifying Portfolio as a Tech Entrepreneur00:22:54 - Balancing Risk and Fun in Angel Investing00:24:10 - Assessing Founders and Key Ingredients00:22:44 - The Importance of Financial Savvy and Diversified Portfolios00:24:26 - Mitigating Financing Risk00:26:16 - Investing Based on Value and Learning00:28:16 - Investing in Early Stages and Venture Funds00:30:08 - The Importance of Diversification00:32:03 - Trusting Your Instincts in Angel Investing00:34:00 - Capturing Signals in Investment Strategy00:35:48 - The Reality of Bridge Rounds00:37:39 - The Importance of Discipline in Angel Investing00:39:17 - Playing the Long Game00:41:11 - Importance of Soft Skills and Leadership in Education

Gloria Bauerlein, founder and general partner at Puzzle Ventures, discusses her journey into VC, tips for micro funds, nurturing relationships, and collaboration in the industry. She reflects on breakthroughs in venture capital and the importance of early believers. Gloria shares her journey into angel investing, the genesis of Puzzle Ventures, and the value of being seen as an angel investor. The role of LPs in allocation reserves and governance is also discussed. The chapter highlights the significance of luck, curiosity, and creating conditions for luck and serendipity.

In this roundtable discussion on the impact of AI on VC, top European investors explore the real secrets behind the transformation of the VC landscape. Topics include the biggest venture opportunities in AI, AI's influence on incumbents vs. startups, strategies to avoid hype cycles, and the societal impact of AI.

Today we have Juliette Audet with us. Juliette is a Partner at Forbion a multi-stage venture fund in Amsterdam and Munich backing biotech companies in Europe and North America to impact the future of medicine.Forbion is investing out of 2 separate funds: Forbion Ventures Fund VI and Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund II, of €750M and €600M respectively, with a total of 3b EUR AUM and an established portfolio of 44 companies, with notable investment including NewAmsterdam Pharma, Gyroscope and Inflazome. At Forbion, Juliette focuses on the Venture strategy, investing in biotech companies from pre-clinical stage to Phase 1b and led the investments in NewAmsterdam Pharma, Mestag and Dualyx amongst others.Jump to the parts that matter most to you 👀00:02:10 - Transitioning from Consulting to Pharma and Biotech00:03:44 - Discipline and Resilience in Career00:05:18 - Recognizing the Moment to Fold00:07:17 - The Importance of Science and Interaction in Investments00:08:50 - The Importance of Board Dynamics00:10:25 - Board Composition and Power Dynamics00:12:07 - Creating Consensus on the Board00:13:37 - The Importance of Governance in Building an Effective Board00:14:53 - Governance and relationship building with board members00:16:35 - The Benefits of Virtual Board Meetings00:18:21 - The Importance of Providing Value00:20:30 - The Value of External Perspective in VC00:22:21 - The Unique Nature of Biotech Companies00:23:57 - Pharma's Need for External Acquisitions00:25:47 - The Inflection Point in BioTech00:27:16 - Slump in M&A Activity in Pharma-Biotech & the dawning opportunity00:28:34 - The Development Process from Preclinical to Phase 300:29:58 - The Dynamic between CVCs and Institutional VCs in BioTech00:33:14 - The Predictability of Biotech VC vs Traditional Venture00:34:54 - Shoutout to Julie Grant from Canaan00:36:33 - Balance and Fulfillment in VC00:38:21 - Getting to know your LPs

Today, we're happy to welcome you to Renaud Visage, co-founder and ex-CTO of Eventbrite, one of Europe’s biggest tech successes and the event platform we’ve all used. Eventbrite IPO'd in 2018 and Renaud left the company in 2021 and is now investing full time out of Paris where he focuses on investing in climate tech startups and on building a ClimateTech Growth Fund where Renaud’s experience from scaling Eventbrite is one-of-a-kind.With more than 75 angel investments to date, Renaud brings a level of operational experience and the skill to help founders solve complex technical problems like none other. On top of this, Renaud is a Venture Partner with the renowned seed firm Point Nine.Jump to the parts that matter most to you and watch our core highlights below 👀00:02:26 - Challenges of Building Eventbrite00:04:20 - Renaud's Angel Investing Journey Begins00:05:25 - Renaud's Accidental First Deal00:06:52 - Lessons from Angel Investing00:09:10 - Renaud’s Investment Thesis and Strategy00:11:28 - Renaud's Value-add for Founders00:12:48 - Evolution in Finding and Evaluating Investment Opportunities00:14:00 - Doubling down on Impact Investing00:16:45 - Going from early to growth stage investing00:19:40 - Generalists vs specialists in Climate investing & investing in hardware00:21:56 - Networks and co-investing in the climate space00:24:55 - The lack of European growth stage financing in climate00:25:30 - Renaud’s core learnings from Angel investing00:27:00 - The importance of your value prop and network as an angel00:29:10 - Follow-on investing as a venture investor00:36:05 - Renaud’s most counterintuitive learning00:37:30 - Top tips to angels wanting to invest internationally00:39:30 - Advice to his own 10 year younger self

Today we have Sean O'Sullivan with us. Sean is a Managing General Partner at SOSV, a global, multi-stage venture capital firm that operates early stage startup development programs, notably HAX, IndieBio, and Orbit Startups. They are the first check in deep tech, starting at pre-seed.SOSV have a $1.5 Billion in AUM and an established portfolio of 1000+ companies including Upside Foods, Perfect Day, Opentrons, and Formlabs. Sean is on the board of Khan Academy, the Tyndall Institute, the Autism Impact Alliance, the Brain Foundation, and a number of private companies.From serving as a janitor to embracing his passions as a musician, filmmaker, and even running a humanitarian organization in Iraq, Sean O’Sullivan’s multifaceted nature reveals a remarkable tapestry of life experiences. Among the intriguing anecdotes is his encounter with a rare viral infection that affected his eye, providing a testament to resilience and adaptability. His ventures extended to the world of television, where he enjoyed a stint as a TV star in Ireland, further exemplifying his versatility.In conclusion, Sean O'Sullivan's venture journey offers a tapestry of experiences, showcasing the significance of perseverance, long-term commitment, and a diverse entrepreneurial mindset. These insights have molded his investment philosophy, guiding SOSV's strategic approach to support startups in their earliest stages and nurture their growth through series B and series C, while emphasizing the immeasurable value of riding the wave with successful companies for the long haul.

Today we’re welcoming Jed Ng on the EUVC pod. Jed is a self-taught angel with 1x exit and has backed 2 startups from seed to unicorn. He started his own syndicate in 2020 and is backed by 1000+ investors today. He is also the Founder of AngelSchool.vc - a venture education program that helps angel investors build their own syndicates in just 8 weeks.As an operator, Jed built the world’s largest API Marketplace with RapidAPI (an a16z backed company).

Today, we're happy to welcome you to Charlie Delingpole, founder of ComplyAdvantage, an AI-driven financial crime risk and detection technology powered by Complydata. They have raised $100m from Index Ventures, Balderton Capital, OTPP and Goldman Sachs with global hubs in London, New York, and Singapore. In this episode you’ll learn:The importance of being part of a strong angel community with peers you trust and whose opinion you valueHow Charlie thinks about activating his network as part of his diligence processWhy Charlie is going from a more international strategy to a more nationally focused oneWhy Charlie believes it’s important to impose systematic professional processes on himself when angel investing